Improvement in alarm-funnels



UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICEO JOSEPH SHOLL AND JOHN COLLINS, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN ALARM-FUNNELS.

Y Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 55,544, dated Julie 12, 1866; antedated May 2S, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, J. SHOLL and J. COL- LINs, of Burlington, New Jersey, have invented an Improved Funnel; and v e do hereby declare the following to bea full7 clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Our invention consists of the combination of a funnel having a tlanged tube secured to the same, a rod with a iioat at its lower end, and a bell, as fully described hereinafter, so as to facilitate the introduction of liquids into a vessel, and to inform the attendant when the same is tilled.

In order to enable others to make and use our invention, we will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure Yl is a vertical section of our improved funnel showing the saine applied to a barrel, and Fig. 2 a plan view.

A is the body ofthe funnel, the bottom a of which is inclined downward toward the center, where a tube, b, is secured to the same, the said tube being of a slightly-increased diameter at its lower end for a purpose described hereinafter.

To the bottom of the funnel are secured legs c, of such a length that when the ends of the legs rest on the side of a barrel the tube I) may project into the bunghole of the latter.

Two cross-pieces, B B', extend across the interior of the funnel, and through both crosspieces passes a rod, C, the upper end of which is bent into the form of a ring, e. To the lower end of the rod is secured a oat, D, which consists oi a hollow case, d, with a top, d', of cork or other suitable material, the latter being adapted to the interior of the tube B. rllhrough the cross-piece B passes a short rod, E, at the lower end of which is a plate, f.

To the side of the funnel is secured one end of a spring, g, to which is attached a bell, h, and to the said spring is also secured one end of a cord, t, on the other end of which is a button, m.

On the upper side of the cross-piece B, near the rod C, is a projection, o, for a purpose described hereinafter.

The funnel isapplied to a barrel so that the legs c shall rest on the outside of the same and the tube b project through the bung-hole. The uid is then introduced into the funnel, from which it is discharged through the tube b. As the fluid rises in the barrel it will be brought into contact with the float D, which, with the rod G, will rise until the cork d at the upper end of the float is introduced into the tube d., when the attendant stops the flow of fluid into the funnel, and, seizing the upper end of the rod U, lifts the funnel from the barrel, the float being thus tightly retained within the tube d, so that none of the Huid in the funnel can escape. The funnel may be now applied to another barrel, which is tilled as above described.

Should the attendant desire to leave the funnel while the same is being illed, he draws back the spring g, so that the inner end of the same may be secured between the ring e and the projection a, the button m being held against the latter and the edge of the ring. When the uid in the barrel reaches such a height as to raise the rod C the button is released, the spring g being thus caused to vibrate and ring the bell H, thus informing the attendant that the barrel is nearly filled.

The rod E may be graduated to indicate the amount ot' duid in the funnel, so that the latter may be used as a measure when bottles and other small vessels have to be filled.

We are aware that rods with ioats on the end have been heretofore used in connection with funnels to indicate the height of a tluid in the receptacle above which the funnel is placed. We therefore do not desire to claim, broadly, such a device; but

We claim as our invention and desire to sccure by Letters Patent- The combination of the funnel A with its tube b, the rod C with its iioat D, andthe bell H, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH SHOLL. JOHN COLLINS.

Witnesses:

HENRY HowsoN, JOHN WHITE. 

